Many lane change aid/side object detection/lane departure warning devices or systems and the like have been proposed which are operable to detect a vehicle or other object that is present next to, ahead of or rearward of the equipped vehicle or in an adjacent lane with respect to the equipped vehicle. Such systems typically utilize statistical methodologies to statistically analyze the images captured by a camera or sensor at the vehicle to estimate whether a vehicle or other object is adjacent to the equipped vehicle. Because such systems typically use statistical methodologies to determine a likelihood or probability that a detected object is a vehicle, and for other reasons, the systems may generate false positive detections, where the system indicates that a vehicle is adjacent to, forward of or rearward of the subject vehicle when there is no vehicle adjacent to, forward of or rearward of the subject vehicle, or false negative detections, where the system, for example, indicates that there is no vehicle adjacent to the subject vehicle when there actually is a vehicle in the adjacent lane.
Such known and proposed systems are operable to statistically analyze substantially all of the pixels in a pixelated image as captured by a pixelated image capture device or camera. Also, such systems may utilize algorithmic means, such as flow algorithms or the like, to track substantially each pixel or most portions of the image to determine how substantially each pixel or most portions of the image has changed from one frame to the next. Such frame by frame flow algorithms and systems may not be able to track a vehicle which is moving at generally the same speed as the equipped vehicle, because there may be little or no relative movement between the vehicles and, consequently, little or no change from one frame to the next. Because the systems may thus substantially continuously analyze substantially every pixel for substantially every frame captured and track such pixels and frames from one frame to the next, such systems may require expensive processing controls and computationally expensive software to continuously handle and process substantially all of the data from substantially all of the pixels in substantially each captured image or frame.
Many automotive lane departure warning (LDW) systems (also known as run off road warning systems) are being developed and implemented on vehicles today. These systems warn a driver of a vehicle when their vehicle crosses the road's land markings or when there is a clear trajectory indicating they will imminently do so. The warnings are typically not activated if the corresponding turn signal is on, as this implies the driver intends to make a lane change maneuver. Additionally, the warning systems may be deactivated below a certain vehicle speed. The driver interface for these systems may be in the form of a visual warning (such as an indicator light) and/or an audible warning (typically a rumble strip sound). One application warns a driver with an indicator light if the vehicle tire is crossing the lane marker and no other vehicle is detected in the driver's corresponding blind spot; and/or further warns the driver with an audible warning if the vehicle is crossing into the adjacent lane and there is a vehicle detected in the driver's blind spot.
There is concern that the current systems will be more of a driver annoyance or distraction than will be acceptable by the consumer market. Using the turn signal as the principle means of establishing to the warning system that the maneuver is intentional does not reflect typical driving patterns and, thus, many intended maneuvers will cause a warning. As a driver gets annoyed by warnings during intended maneuvers, the driver will likely begin to ignore the warnings, which may result in an accident when the warning is appropriate.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an object detection system, such as a blind spot detection system or lane change assist, system or lane departure warning system or the like, which overcomes the short comings of the prior art.